Trouser support



5. L. CAFLE TROUSER SUPPORT Sept 8, 1931.

Filed Nov. 29, 1930 Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TROUSER SUPPORT Application filed November 29, 1930.

The present invention relates to clothes supporting means and more particularly to means for supporting trousers or the hke while being worn.

An object of this invention is to provide a trouser support which may be readily worn by an individual beneath the overshirt and over the underwear, and which is so constructed as to adequately support the trousers in the desired position, by being suspended or supported by means of an ordinary pair of suspenders also worn under the overshirt and over the underwear, and at the same time relieve the person from undue pressure from the conventional belt.

Another object of this invention is to provide a support of this kind which may be adjusted to the waistline of the person and which is so constructed that the trousers with the belt attached thereto may be firmly and securely positioned thereon, the device being worn at all times by the person without discomfort.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which is relatively simple in construction so as to permit the ready and cheap manufacture thereof.

The above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be r described in and in part be understood from the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a detail perspective view of a device constructed according tothe preferred embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view in elevation of a modification of this device.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numorals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the nu meral 10' designates generally a trouser supporting member constructed according to the preferred embodiment of this invention which is adapted to encircle the waistline of Serial No. 499,084.

the wearer, the supporting member 10 being constructed in the form of a split loop, the free ends of which are adapted to be secured to each other as will be hereinafter described.

The trouser supporting member 10 comprises an upper wire member 11, and a lower 5 Wire member 12, which are secured together by a plurality of connecting bars, or asolid connection of rubber, celluloid, or metal, or a combination of any substances, or may be positioned at spaced points about the supporting member 10, the ends of the connecting bars 14 being bent around the wires 11 and 12 from the inside thereof so as to dispose the connecting bars 14 inwardly of the upper and lower wires 11 and 12 and provide a groove between the upper and lower members within which a belt is adapted to be positioned. One end of the upper member 11 is secured to a plate 15 and in like manner one end of the lower member 12 is secured to the opposite edge of the plate 15, the plate 15 being constructed of rela tively thin material, and having turned over or reverted upper and lower edges which are adapted to receive the free ends of the upper and lower members 11 and 12, respectively. The opposite ends of the upper and lower members 11 and 12 are connected together by a curved connecting member 16 which may be integrally formed with the upper and lower members. The plate 15 at the up per and lower marginal edge portions thereof is provided with a pair of guides 17 which are adapted toslidably receive the free end of the supporting member 10.

At plate 15 adjustments as to size may be made by means of any snap, lever, catch, or provided with a plurality of apertures 13 therethrough which are longitudinally spaced in substantially the center of the plate 15. A stop member 18 in the form of a bolt or the like is adapted to be positioned in a selected aperture 13, the stop member 18 or other device limiting the insertion of the free end of the upper and lower members 11 and 12 in the guides 17. The upper mem ber 11 is preferably smaller in circui'nference than the lower member 12 so as to provide a substantially tapering supporting member which flares outwardly and downwardly.

In the use of this device, the frame or supporting member 10 is adapted to be attached to a conventional suspender 19 which is positioned beneath the outer garment or shirt so that the supporting member 10 will be concealed beneath the clothing. The adjustable stop 18 may be adjusted to bepositioncd in the selected aperture 13 so that the size of the supporting member 10 will be substantially the size of the waistline of the wearer and so that it will not press or rub against the body of the wearer. The belt which is mounted in the conventional loops of the trousers may then be positioned in the grooved connecting bars lt, it of course being understood that the upper portion of the trousers is interposed between the belt and the supporting member 10. The belt may then be tightened sutiiciently so as to firmly position the trousers on the support ing frame 10 and this pressure from the belt will also tend to force the free end of the support 10 within the guides 17 of the plate 15 and against the stop member 18 so that it is not necessary to provide any means for preventing the outward movement of the free end of the device from the plate 15.

IVhile the supporting member 10 has been disclosed as constructed of resilient wire or the like, I do not wish to be limited to this construction as, if desired, the supporting member 10 may be constructed of any resilient material in the form of celluloid, sheet metal composition material or the like, the material being of relatively rigid con struction but at the same time sufliciently flexible or resilient to permit the mounting of the device on the wearer. When the supporting member 10 is in closed position, it forms a substantially frustro-conical supporting member which has a grooved outer surface which is adapted to receive the upper end of the trousers with a belt attached thereto.

As shown in Figure 4, the frame member 10 comprises an upper beading 11, a lower beading 12 and a connecting web 14:, the web 14 being of solid construction and mounted so as to provide a groove on the periphery of the frame 10, the webbing 14 being mounted on the inner side of the upper and lower beading members 11 and 12 respectively. This modification may be constructed of metal, celluloid or other composition and the beading members 11, 12' and the web 14 constructed integrally and of the same material.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

I claim 1. A clothing support of the character described, comprising a split looped frame structure adapted to encircle the body of the wearer, a plate secured to one end of the frame, guide means carried by the plate whereby to frictionally receive the opposite end of the frame, said frame comprising an upper resilient frame member, a lower resilient frame member, said lower frame member being relatively larger in circumference than said upper frame member, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced connecting members connecting said upper and lower frame members together whereby to provide a downwardly and outwardly inclined circumferential groove for receiving one end of an article of clothing.

2. A clothing supporting frame, comprising a split looped frame structure, a plate secured to one end of the frame, guide means carried by the plate whereby to frictionally and slidably receive the opposite end of the frame, said plate having a plurality of longi i tudinally spaced apertures therethrough, and a stop member selectively positioned in one of said apertures whereby to limit the insertion of the opposite end of the frame in said plate, said opposite end portion abutting against said stop means upon insertion of said end in said guide means.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

SHERMAN L. OAPLE. 

